Tire-tread attachment.



0. A. RIXFORD. TIRE TREAD ATTACHMENT. APPLICATION rILnn ran. 14. 1910.

Patented Dec. 13,1910.

2 BHBET8-SHEET 1.

O. A. RIXFORD.

TIRE TRBAD ATTACHMENT. APPLIOATION FILED FEB.14. 1910.

} 978,210. Patented Dec.13,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

QA .Rixfarrl, F

a lfommq OSCAR A. RIXFORD, OF EAST HIGHGATE, VERMONT.

TIRE-TREAD ATTACHMENT.

Speciflcation'of Letters Patent. Patented Dec. 13, 1910.

Application filed February 14, 1910. Serial N 0. 543,675.

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR A. Rrxronn, a

. citizen of the United States, residing at East Highgate, in the countyof Franklin and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Tire-Tread Attachments, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in tire tread attachments and moreparticularly to one adapted to be used upon a pneumatic or elastic tirefor preventing the wheel from slipping or skidding both laterally andlongitudinally of the road.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and practicalanti-skid attachment of this character which willnot injure the tire,which will be light and inexpensive in construction but at the same timesufficiently strong and durable to accomplish the urpose lntended, andin which the tread links or shoes may be readily replaced when worn'out. 7

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafterfully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanyingdrzuvings in which-:.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a wheel showing theapplication of my improved anti-skid tread attachment to the tirethereof; Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the tire and wheel rim;Fig. 3 is a View of a portion of the attachment stretched out in aplane; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the cross members.

Referring more particularly to the drawings 1 denotes a portion of awheel of an automobile or other vehicle and 2 denotes its pneumatic orelastic tire.

My improved anti-skid tire attachment consists of two flexible sidemembers 3 which are preferably chains and the ends of which arepreferably detachably and adjustably united by turn buckles 4. Theattachment also comprises a plurality of independent cross members 5arranged at intervals between the side members or chains and extendingtransversely across the tread portion of the tire 2, the side membersextending around the opposite sides of the tire as usual. Each of thecross members 5 consists of a central tread link or shoe 6 and twoconnecting links 7, which latter flexibly unite the ends ofthe shoe tothe side mem-' bers. The tread link or shoe 6 is curved longitudinallyfor engagement with the curved tread portion of the tire 2 and it ispreferably provided with studs or spurs 7 to prevent slipping orskidding. Said tread link or shoe is also preferably formed from asingle metal rod shaped to providea loop having parallel side portionsor bars 8 united by curved or U-shaped ends 9. The studs 7 are formed orprovided upon the bars 8, which latter are curved longitudinally, andthe connecting links 7 are engaged with the curved ends 9 of the loop orlink. These connecting links 7 are preferend of each of which engages alink of one of the side chains 3, the other end of which engages an endof one of the tread links or loops. The use of double snap hooks tounite the tread links orshoes to the chains 3 permit the former to bequickly removed when worn and replaced by new ones, without removing theattachment from the wheel.

From the foregoing it will be seen that my invention provides anexceedingly simple and inexpensive attachment of this character, theparts of which are so constructed that they will not injure the tire inany way and may be readily disconnected and assembled. The detachableconnection of the several parts' permits one or more parts to be readilyreplaced wlienworn, and also permits the cross members to beincreased-or decreased in number to position them at any desireddistance apart around the tread of the tire. The open ronstruction ofthe tread links and the provision of the studs or spurs thereoneffectively prevents slipping of the wheel either laterally or longi- Vends adjustably connected and cross members arranged between the sidechains at'intervals and each consisting of a pair of double 105.. snaphooks and a one-piece tread shoe, the

' latter being in the form of an elongated link links of the side chainsas and for the purprovided With parallel side bars formed on pose setforth. 10 their outer faces With integral studs, said In testimonywhereof I hereunto affix my side bars of the link being curvedlongisignature in the presence of two witnesses. tudinally and united byU-shaped ends, the OSCAR A. RIXFORD. latter bein engaged by the outerends of \Vitnesses: thetwo snap hooks, and the inner ends of 0. S.B1XFORD,'

said 'snap hooks being engaged With the O. H. Rlxrom).

